Effects of the Virus
by Dragonachu
Summary: Umbrella's virus escapes and plunges Rockfort City into a nightmare, and Claire Redfield must find her brother... and the truth. But on the way she meets someone who may help her more than she can ever help him. Claire/Steve. AU.
1. In The Thick Of It All

**A/N**: Back with Steve and Claire again. I can't help it. Anyway, this story is entirely AU – in a world where Umbrella is still thought to be just a pharmaceutical company, STARS doesn't exist and the characters from the Resi universe have different relationships and jobs. Some have already met, some have not. I'll be primarily focusing on Steve/Claire of course, but there will be mentions of other pairings. It will feel like I'm just throwing you into the thick of the story in the first chapter (which I kind of am) but all will be explained in chapters 2 and 3. The next chapters may be slow in coming so please be patient. Please review!~

Resident Evil (c) Capcom

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Effects of the Virus

Claire rested a hand on the broken window frame, and although she appeared to lean on it wearily, tension was clearly visible in her shoulders. The cold night air blew in through the empty hole where the glass had once been. Its cool touch brushed gently across her face but did nothing to alleviate the fear induced headache pounding through her skull. The young woman tugged at the jacket draped over her shoulders absentmindedly as she listened to the inhuman sounds of fighting in the street below. The dark blue jacket was clearly too big for her skinny frame but she pulled it on closer anyway. The number 267 was printed on the back in white and the material smelt of a mixture of the earthy scents of woodland and sweat. Claire shivered, despite the jacket, as the wind blew in the empty window onto her bare legs, covered only at the top by a pair of denim shorts. But she doubted the cold was the only reason shivers were passing through her. It seemed to be the only thing her body could do to convey her fear anymore. She'd never been the sort of woman to cry, and zombie apocalypse or no, she wasn't about to start now.

A particularly loud snarl from the street outside made Claire start, until she remembered she was safely up high on the third floor of the large office building the group of survivors were sheltering in. Fear throbbed through her head once more as she watched the two monsters clash again after briefly pulling apart. Both were a scaly green, with spikes sticking out of their shoulders and back, and while both were large, the one was a tall thin shape whilst the other was broad and stocky. Their feral growls ripped through the empty and ruined street as they clashed in an almost agonisingly equal match of fangs and claws. Claire could feel despair grip her heart as she watched, but couldn't bring herself to look away.

The office was large, with the group of survivors all sheltering from the cold near the back of the room, but Claire could feel them staring. It had taken a while to get all of the desks and chairs into an arrangement that meant they could all sleep in relative comfort; the missing glass from the window pane meant that the temperature wasn't ideal, but it was much better than where they had slept the night before, and she knew that they were all secretly glad to have been shown to such a place.

"You don't want to watch, do you?" A soft voice came from beside Claire but she didn't move her gaze or even acknowledge the presence of the other young woman. Rebecca had been sitting with the other survivors, but their scathing opinions on Claire and her attitude had made her so mad, she had to walk away. None of them would even approach the window, so she knew they wouldn't follow suit. The sounds of the fight below were enough to keep them far away. Rebecca herself hadn't wanted to come that close either, but her loyalty to her childhood friend had overpowered her fear. The others thought Claire was brave, strong and unfeeling, and couldn't understand how she could watch the monsters fight with such indifference. But she knew her best friend well, and Rebecca saw the tension etched across her hunched shoulders and the light of despair shining in her eyes.

Claire heard the question, but she just couldn't function beyond staring fixedly at the increasingly violent scene on the street. She felt as if all of her unspoken fears and doubts that were still humming through her head with pain would tumble out before she could stop herself.

"You don't want to watch," Rebecca continued softly, "but you feel that you must. You feel that you must..." She repeated. "Because you love him."

Claire felt her legs grow weak beneath her and leaned more heavily on the window frame. The smell of the jacket on her shoulders suddenly became more noticeable and she had to clench her fists to stop from pulling it to her face. She wouldn't show such weakness. Finally her blue eyes moved to look at her sadly smiling friend. Claire opened her mouth to reply, but her breath caught in her throat as she heard the anguished screech of a dying monster. Her head whipped back to the street, causing her ponytail to swing behind her, and her eyes widened at the scene. The long thin creature lay unmoving in a still widening pool of green blood pouring from the wound on its chest, where the other's claw lay embedded in its flesh. It pulled back and roared in triumph.

The young woman didn't see anymore. Her mouth pinched in a grim line of determination as she pulled the blue jacket off and pushed it at Rebecca. Not even pausing between one motion and the next, she rushed toward the fire exit. Her feet pounded across the office floor as she raced toward the large fire escape door, on the lefts side of the room. She ignored the shocked sounds of the group as she flung her slim body at the metal door. Cold air rushed across her skin as she emerged onto the metal staircase and Claire nearly stumbled as the door swung open with the force. Her thoughts didn't register the danger of what she was doing. Even as her body instinctively took each step on the fire escape, at a pace that made her breath come out in ragged gasps, all she could hear was a voice inside that screamed to reach him.

The fighting between the two Veronica virus creations had kept the zombies away from the immediate area, in what the survivors could only guess as some instinctual hierarchy buried in the very code of Umbrella's viruses themselves. However the presence of only one monster meant that the chorus of droning and dragging steps was the sound of the undead returning to one of the only remaining places in the city where living flesh remained. Claire knew she didn't have long before they descended on the street and the group would be forced to confinement in their safety on the third floor. As she hit the bottom step she launched herself forward, giving momentum to her run. The monster was at the front of the building, the fire escape being at the back, and she could feel her lungs burning with each breath as she raced around the structure, mentally cursing the distance between them. Finally faced with the large green creature before her, Claire slowed her pace and came to a stop only a short distance from where is stood by the corpse of its slain opponent. She struggled to get her breath back as she stopped, goosebumps rising on her bare arms up to the sleeves of her black t-shirt in recognition of the dangerous situation she had placed herself in.

The noise she'd made was enough for the creature to turn, and its large blood red eyes narrowed at the sight of Claire. For a seemingly long moment neither woman nor monster moved, the groaning of the zombies coming ever closer the only sound breaking the silence.

"Steve." She breathed. Her voice had a strange effect of the monster as it seemed to be in physical pain from just that one word. It raised both clawed hands to its head. "Steve, please." Claire took a small step forward and raised her eyes, burning with blue fires, to meet red ones. "Steve Burnside. Don't you dare leave me." She knew that it wouldn't be much longer until the zombies came upon them both. But she wasn't going to let him go. She was prepared to stay there until he changed back. No matter how long it took. At first Claire had found Steve to be immature and condescending of her abilities as a fighter. But it had taken a while for her to realise that his childishness was covering his myriad of insecurities and when it looked like he was concerned for her safety, it wasn't because he didn't believe in her, it was because he genuinely cared.

The monster fell to its knees, still clutching its head, and Claire held her breath as its shape seemed to shrink. Her eyes widened as it doubled over, its skin getting paler as it got smaller, and the spiked receding into its body. She couldn't stop her legs from rushing over to the changing form and dropped to her knees as she got beside him. What was the monster just moments ago was almost Steve again. The transformation was rapid and by the time Claire rested a comforting hand on Steve's shoulder he was human again.

"C-Claire." Steve's grey eyes lifted and struggled to focus on the young woman by his side. A rush of liquid fire ran through her veins as his husky and strained voice said her name. She became very aware of her hand on his bare shoulder. The skin felt so unnaturally cold beneath her fingertips, like ice, and matched the now ghostly paleness of it.

"Come on, we need to get you somewhere safe." Claire said with a steady voice, holding back the flood of emotion she really felt. They had to get out of the street. The shadows further up the street she knew were the mass of zombies, attracted by the lure of living flesh, and they were getting steadily closer. She put his arm across her shoulder and rose slowly, suddenly very thankful that some of his trousers had survived the transformation – at least in the most appropriate and modesty conserving way. Supporting Steve with her arm, Claire looked across at his face, noticing the sheen of sweat glistening on his forehead and the pain in his unfocused eyes. She gritted her teeth and took a few steps forward. "Come on Steve, I only just got you back. I didn't give up on you, and I'm not going to now." Claire kept moving forward slowly, with Steve making weak shuffling steps in a barely conscious effort to keep up with her. She struggled to contain the urge to pick up the pace as the two slowly made their way around the large office building. She could hear the sound of the zombies getting closer.

Steve was still only barely conscious and she felt sweat drip down her face as she struggled to support his weight and stop from tripping over his feet. The metal stairs of the fire escape came into view and Claire felt a fresh wave of determination pulse through her body, giving her weary limbs strength she didn't know she possessed. As she reached the bottom she paused, breathing erratically, and lifted her head as she heard the pounding of feet on metal, adjusting her grip on the young man at her side. Two men were running down the fire escape and before she had the time to protest, had lifted Steve from her. She recognised the men as two of the survivors and wondered if Rebecca had sent them to help her. Once they got into the office they'd be safe.


	2. So This Is How It Starts

**A/N**: So this chapter should start to explain how on earth everything got to where it is in chapter 1. This is 48 hours earlier from the events in ch.1. But I think it might take another two chapters to catch up to the present, and then we get to see what happens to Steve, Claire and the rest of the survivors. Hooray! Took some liberties with some characters... (Well, this is an AU!) But hopefully they're all still in character.

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Effects of the Virus Chapter 2 – So This Is How It Starts

**48 HOURS EARLIER...**

Spring had been slow in coming, but finally the bright sunlight of a clear spring morning touched the little town. It wasn't particularly warm, with a fresh breeze keeping the temperature low, but there was barely a cloud in the sky. The sunlight streamed through Claire's bedroom window and she stirred at the brightness of her room even through the curtains. A quick glance at the clock beside her confirmed that she had woken up before the alarm again. The young woman groaned as she sat up and the quilt slid off her torso, revealing a slim but toned body in a red tank top. She yawned as she made her way slowly to the kitchen. There was a note attached to the fridge:

'_Claire, I'm so sorry, but the Captain has called me in. I tried to tell him I had plans but he said Jill would have to go it alone if I didn't help her out today. (You know what she's like- she's swamped already.) I'll try to be back before dinner tonight, but I might be late so don't wait up for me. Sorry again little sister, Chris x'_

The two siblings lived together in a small house that had been left to them when their parents had died. Chris was a key member of the police force in Rockfort City, so he spent alot of time at work. This inevitably left Claire alone quite often, but she was an independent woman anyway and she never minded. Rockfort city was only a quick main road away from the small town where they lived, so she sometimes met him there for lunch. She couldn't begrudge Chris being called in when it was Jill who needed help. Jill and Chris had been partners ever since they'd both joined the police and had fallen in love not too long after.

Claire yawned again and leaned her back against the counter next to the fridge. Seeing as Chris had changed her plans for the day she was free to do what she liked. It was one of her rare days off in the week that she intended to spend watching movies and eating snack with her big brother. During the week Claire spent her time tending to the animals at the local farm, about halfway between the town and the city. She technically worked at the Raccoon Vets Practice, but she mostly dealt with house calls and the farm animals since her employer was too old to get around as easily as herself. She enjoyed her job. She was strong willed and confident, coming together in an intense stubbornness and belief in her own ability. Claire was quick to anger, but she could count on one hand the amount of times she had cried in her life. The strength of spirit she possessed could put people off getting close to her, and was the main reason she couldn't keep a steady relationship. But she could relax and be herself around those willing to put the effort into getting close to her.

The sound of the toaster popping up startled the young woman out of her reflection. She picked the toast out and dropped them on a nearby plate quickly, shaking her hot fingers to cool them down. At least when she had a day off with Chris she could make sure he ate breakfast, rather than the cup of vending machine coffee he would normally have at work. He was always reminded of their mother when Claire would criticise his meal choices, since his job left him with little time for much more than fast food takeaways on his way home. Occasionally visiting her brother in the city on his lunch breaks was the only way she could ensure he had a decent meal every once in a while.

Claire chuckled to herself at the thought. She and Chris had always been opposites; her brother was always the one everyone went to for advice, he was brave and wouldn't let anyone down. She herself was nothing like that. Everyone looked up to Chris. Especially her. He'd always been her reliable older brother, and practically raised her when their parents died. She was glad of Jill too, being there for Chris when he needed support. Suddenly struck with a rush of affection for her brother and his girlfriend, the young woman realised what she was going to do on her day off.

The mobile phone dug into Claire's cheek as she wedged it between her head and shoulder. The dial tone droned on while she used her hands to do the laces on her walking boots, and she pushed away some stray red hair that had fallen onto her face.

"Hey Claire, what's up?" A cheerful voice answered and Claire smiled.

"The usual, wondering how life functions when not at work. You know how it is." Claire joked. Rebecca Chambers was her oldest friend. They had met when they were children at school, and even though Rebecca had been shy and studious while Claire was adventurous and loud, they had bonded over their love of a certain TV show on at the time and had grown closer ever since.

"You work too hard." Rebecca rebuked good naturedly.

"Says the one who's idea of a day off is going to the library to study. I swear your patients must think you live at that hospital." Claire rolled her eyes, despite knowing her friend couldn't see, but the smile was in her voice. A tinkling laugh was the reply from the other end. It was Rebecca's dedicated approach to study and working that had ultimately inspired her to work harder at her own job and become a vetinary nurse. "Anyway, I was wondering if you wanted to head into the city with me before your shift. We could get some lunch at Spencer's Cafe and take a sandwich to Chris and Jill before we head back?"

"You know I can't resist a cafe lunch Claire! You got me. As long as we're back by three I'd love to." Rebecca replied. Claire was about to reply and let her know she'd pick her up, but heard a loud thumping noise through her mobile. "Oh, hold on. Someone is _banging _on my door. One second." Her voice held a hint of irritation as the banging rose in volume and tempo. Claire listened to the sound of her friend's footsteps, the door being unlocked and then a yelp of pain.

"Rebecca?" She clutched the phone. "Rebecca!" She repeated with more urgency. There was more footsteps and then the phone disconnected. For a few heartbeats Claire simply stood with her mobile still pressed onto her ear. She could feel the plastic digging into her hand. The silence of the room felt like a vacuum, sucking the sound from the world. What had happened? What- Her thoughts were running faster than she could keep track with and so many different scenarios ran through her mind, nearly all of them ending with her best friend desperately needing her help. Claire shoved her phone in her pocket with force and grabbed her house keys from the kitchen table, pushing them into the same pocket. She glanced at her car keys but shook her head as she dashed out of the house. There wasn't time to get the car, it was faster to run; there houses were only a couple of streets away and there was a public footpath that ran almost straight between their streets. They'd made great use of that as children. Claire gritted her teeth. She couldn't bear the thought of anything happening to her gentle friend. There was a scream in the distance and the sound of gunshots. What on earth was happening?

Not lingering on the rising sense of foreboding darkening her thoughts, Claire slowed as she neared the house. Still there were sounds of yelling and more gunshots and she looked around a street she barely recognised. People were running in all directions and cars speeding off the drive. She pushed away the dread and continued to Rebecca's small house. The door was wide open and Claire paused in the doorway. There was paper all over the hallway where a little table had fallen. A black mobile phone was smashed amongst the pages. She stepped inside carefully and felt her breath hitch as she spotted the crimson dotted on the white paper. Blood.

"Rebecca!" Claire yelled, throwing caution away. She moved into the lounge and froze. There was blood pooling on the floor around the head of what appeared to be a man at first glance. She moved closer, being driven by horror. What was on the floor in front of her could only be described as having once _been_ a man. His face was torn open on one side, drying blood smeared across across his cheek and mouth and scabs stretched across various wounds on what was visible of his skin. The top of his skull was an odd shape, and blood was pouring out of a deep hole there. There was no explanation for what she was seeing. She wasn't squeamish, but it was horrifying to look upon a body so mutilated and, and somehow _wrong. _Taking a deep breath she stepped around the monstrosity and was about to continue into the kitchen when she heard a whimper to the left.

Rebecca Chambers had crawled into the narrow space between her settee and the wall. She had drawn he knees up against her body, as if she was pushed as far into the corner as she was physically able. A particularly loud gunshot sounded outside and she flinched visibly. There were spots of blood on her white t-shirt and a little in her cropped hair. She clutched a small bottle in her hands, arms wrapped around her drawn up legs, and her knuckles were white with her grip. Claire crouched down slowly, and spoke softly.

"Rebecca?" She struggled to keep her voice steady, but knew she had to stay calm for her friend. She had to be as brave as Chris would be. For a moment the only sounds were the ever present noises of panic from outside. Finally she looked up into Claire's eyes.

"I opened the door..." At first she spoke hesitantly, but the shock faded as she spoke to someone familiar and safe. "He... He lunged at me. I s-stumbled and dropped my phone. He just kept coming, and there was blood all over him." She lifted up the bottle in her hand. "I always keep pepper spray in the lounge. So I pushed him away and sprayed it. He fell backwards and his head hit the shelf. I didn't mean to k-kill him!" Rebecca finished speaking and Claire realised she hadn't seen the body since he'd stopped moving. That was no person, and he certainly hadn't been killed by her. There was no telling what would have happened if she hadn't pushed him. There was only one woman in the whole town who would keep pepper spray in her lounge, but her paranoia had probably saved her life.

"You didn't kill him, okay? Whatever he was, it wasn't human. I know it sounds strange, but something horrible is happening." Claire stood up and held out her hand. "We need to move and get out of here." An explosion from nearby added emphasis to her words and she helped Rebecca up. They both made their way to the door with Claire making sure her friend stayed on her feet. The scene outside was even worse. Everyone was running around in a full scale panic now, and more bloodied and torn 'people' were seemingly grabbing them as they ran. The two women watched in horror as people were being dragged down and _bitten_. Flesh being ripped from their very bodies. "Come on." Claire said, pulling Rebecca with her as she ran. They would go back to her house and get the car. But they stopped, and Claire cursed loudly. The path back to her street was blocked by a dozen of the creatures and a car that had crashed into the street lamp beside it. A van screeched to a halt behind them. The door slid open and a woman leaned out.

"Get in!" She shouted above the noise, and a few nearby people did just that. Claire didn't need to be told twice. She pulled Rebecca's hand and both leaped into the van, squeezing into what little room was left. The door slammed shut behind them and she tried not to think about the banging on the metal as they pulled away. Were they people left behind or those monsters trying to get in? She couldn't help but think of her big brother. Had this madness spread to the city too? Would he and Jill be okay? She had to know.


End file.
